By Chance In Oxford

17. Lorenzo

Last night could not have gone any better. I was amazed, I had actually begun dating someone. I had a person, I had someone. Something that used to be my biggest fear in life became one of my biggest pleasures. I missed her already. She was at her place, I was at mine but yet I had longed for her to be right next to me. To feel her touch, for so long I had deprived myself of it because I felt like I really didn't deserve happiness, or love, or a person to hold. She had found me, I had found her, and she seemed in love as well. She wouldn't know but my world stopped when she told me that she was ready to fall, ready to stop running, because I was the person she found that said it was ok. It made me feel as though I had saved her, like after years of people hurting her I could finally put up a shield and protect her, and man was that my new mission in life, to protect her, to make sure no one touched her, no one even thought about hurting her, this world couldn't go without her beauty. It would be like the world living without oxygen, or color. The phone call, from yesterday, I was worried she would get suspicious, she had every right to, but she couldn't know what everything was about, not now at least. I picked up the phone and called Lara, I had her number engraved in my head ever since the call last night, she was moving the ball forward. Instead of its normal date it was going to be transferred to months from now. I wanted to get this all over with, I didn't want to see her anymore. I didn't want that man involved in my life any longer, I wanted him gone. I never wanted him to cross me again. He disgusted me, and now I would have to wait to move forward from this. "Lara, what was yesterday about!? You said the ball would be over with by next week and I would never have to see the two of you again. Now your moving the date!? I'm telling you Lara if you dont start explaining yourself your going to be in some trouble for yourself.", this was over the top, I was already doing her a favor and now she was switching things around. "Lorenzo, I'm sorry, I really did have no choice. Please forgive me. Your father wanted to go to Greece for some business and we have to stay there for a few months, there is nothing I can do but follow along with him and move the date for him. I'm sorry. It'll be about four months from now, mid-fall, October 13th. Is that ok for you!? Also, Don't speak to me that way, as if I'm meaningless to you I have worth in your life whether you like it or not, you can't speak to me that way. You'll regret it anyway." I replied, "You are meaningless to me, you bring no worth but a distraction to keep my dad away from me. And you're meaningless to me, he just needed someone willing to go around and do his dirty work for him, that's where you come in. Now if you were smart you would shut your mouth and walk away from him, save yourself, find a man who loves you for you, not what you can do for him. The 13th is fine, stay out of my face until then.", I hung up the phone and sighed, it was going to be a long day, I had to tell Athena. I walked to her place and knocked on the door. She opened it in a pair of silk pajamas, a tank top with a lace detail at the top and matching shorts, the light lavender brushed against her skin. She ran into my arms and I lifted her into a much needed hug. My nose sunk into her hair, and I sucked in the smell that I was so aware of before. She kissed me as I slowly lifted her into my arms and placed her down on the small kitchen's counter top. Before things could escalate any further, though I wanted them to, I lifted my head back and spoke to her saying, "Do you want to move in with me!?'' Just like that, I had blurted it out, it was what I was feeling, I had only assumed she wanted me to be transparent with her so I said what I said, not quite realizing how much I might regret it. She stared at me like a deer caught in headlights, like she didn't know what to say. Trying to save what I had just done I said, "I mean I know it's early, I know we have been dating for the smallest amount of time but you could keep your place here if you want, and come visit it if you wanted to, you don't have to sell this place if you really wanted to keep it and you can still continue your studies and see your friends, I wouldn't take that from you-" She cut me off squealing and brought me into an embrace so tight I had thought my circulation would've cut off. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME! CALL THE MOVING COMPANY NOW! GET THEM HERE I WANT ALL THESE BOXES OUT OF HER TONIGHT! Of course I want to move in with you. I freaking love you, I really do, and I don't care if people think its to early or if it actually is too early, doing things too early, or too young is just an excuse people use for pushing off commitment so they can spend more time doing stupid, childish, immature things. I don't want to keep my place, it was just a shelter but its walls are soaked with too many tears, the wood is probably rotting, I'd prefer anything but to stay here. Most of all I want you, all of you, I want to wake up in the morning to see your face." The more I spoke to her, the more I couldn't believe she was real, I kept repeating myself but it was true, I couldn't fathom the fact that she was real. It all seemed too perfect, too right. "Really! Gosh, all this time I feel like the villain in the movies, the one that is so misunderstood, painful and lonely, then the pure innocence of a girl sweeps in and makes them feel loved for once. You love me!?", I said. She answered, "Of course I love you, I would burn for you, I would rot away in a cell for you, I would kill for you, I would kill myself for you, anything in this world, any pain, for you!" My forehead fell on hers, I became weak and she knew it, like I couldn't even stand anymore. I did what the authority demanded and called the moving company. Only I didn't trust anyone else but my guards so I told them to get on it. After getting on the phone and making sure everything was set I stood from her comfortable and homey couch and removed the small leather sash bag and placed it on her coach before slipping my shoes off to reveal the rest of my outfit. Today would be a busy day, no business, just us, so casual felt right. A black t-shirt hugging my chest and flaring at the waistline, black jeans, and a pair of low top shoes I had gotten in America on a trip there. I ran my fingers through my hair before walking back to the kitchen where she was cooking something, the speaker in her kitchen blasting pretty music that made me imagine running through a field of dandelions. I came up behind her and slowly grabbed her waist from behind, snaking my arms around her. She slowly turned her head to kiss my forehead. I couldn't believe she had actually agreed, we were moving in together! "I'm so happy you want to actually move in with me!? Like you want me in your expensive houses, what if I break something!?", her eyes widened as if she was replaying the scenario of her actually breaking something in my house. "You're not going to break anything, and if you do I don't care, as long as you're there, with me everyday. I called people to get over here and bring your stuff over. You go, have a day to yourself, and I will have everything taken care of for you, tonight, you come home to me, ok?" "Are you sure!? I mean I want to leave this place as soon as possible and be with you but are you sure? I'm so happy about this truly! I have to call my aunt and tell Annalise about this, she'll freak!"She said as she grabbed my neck and went into the other room to pack a bag for the day. I replied, "You do that, I'll handle everything. And you should meet Ophelia tonight? I told her to come over for dinner tonight. I think it would be good if you met her, if you are up for it. 7pm sounds good?" She nervously said, "Uhm, I mean 7 sounds great! I'm just nervous, what will she think of me, what if she doesn't think I'm right for you, or doesn't think we should move in with each other." I walked closer to her and kissed her, a long, hard, deeply passionate kiss, to let her know where she belonged and how special I thought she was. My hand slid over her cheek and I watched her eyes move for a second before saying, "I was raised by her, I would know who to pick. Besides, I think I picked the perfect girl, and its not like shes dating you, I am, if she has an issue with it she can talk it up with me, but it doesn't mean I'm going to stop being with you because she doesn't like it, I love it, I love you, so I want to do what is best for me, its my life, not hers, though I love her. I think she'll love you, like the daughter she never had. You, my love, have nothing to worry about." She shot me a grateful glance as if I had just saved her from all her anxiety towards the topic. She said, "Thank you. Do you mind if I get something to wear while I'm out!? I'm basically meeting your mom today, I feel like I should get dressed up." I answered while handing her one of my silver credit cards, "Here, take my card. You go buy yourself whatever speaks to you baby. Let me know if you want me to pick you up." Her eyes lit up and she answered, "Thank you!!" She walked out of the house and the engine to her car started up before she left me in walls filled with her things, parts of her, memories she had made, all here, on display for me to see. Before I knew it some of my workers had arrived and her place was empty, top to bottom, just a few walls and some appliances. It had lost the touch, her things, her decor, it was all gone, just left with an empty cold feeling. Going back to the house I had overseen all of her things going into my place. It was like a puzzle that had been missing so many pieces for so long, like her things, herself, were the missing pieces, the things that had fit ever so perfectly into my place, everything looked like it had belonged there in the first place. I had waited up for her to get back here, to show her how everything looked and to get ready for dinner. I had planned with our chef about what to cook for the night and then I had gone and done some last minute preparations like buying flowers and going to pick up Ophelia. Everything was set, tonight was the night.